Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,

First, I have some personal news that will affect my weekly posts. My husband and I are about to begin a new life adventure; we are preparing to move into a retirement community in Salem. Because the downsizing/moving process is a daunting one, I will not have the time that it takes to devote to my weekly blog post as it is now. Not wanting to stop my posts completely, I’ve decided that after this week, I’ll limit the number of featured dogs to two or three, while increasing the number of Quick View dogs, and I’ll still post updates. I will also stop posting pictures of weekly adopted dogs here, since I will continue to announce dog adoptions on my WHS Facebook page that you can access (even if you do not have a Facebook account) here: https://www.facebook.com/AdoptAnOregonDog.

 

Capitol Subaru Shares the Love!

If you are a regular blog reader, you will remember the Share the Love Campaign that our local Capitol Subaru dealership sponsored over the holidays. For the third year in a row, WHS was chosen by Capitol Subaru to be their hometown charity. For every car sold or leased before January 3, the buyer could choose WHS to receive a Subaru gift of $250! Last Thursday Capitol Subaru invited us to the dealership for the presentation of a check. Shelter dogs were invited, too, so there was a whirlwind of sniffing, licking and treat-eating as WHS dogs and humans took over the showroom. Everyone was astounded when the check unveiling took place. Executive Director BJ Andersen was presented with a check for $55,500 to help care for our shelter dogs and cats!

I was so lucky! I got to puppysit Porter who is being fostered by a staff member. And see that cutie on the left that Jolene is holding? That is sweet Mary. More on her later in this post.

BJ’s dog, Luke, (a former WHS shelter dog), gave the check a high five!

 

 

There was only one Blog Dog who was adopted last week, but what a special one it was! Our wonderful Axel finally found his forever home! Our boy has been patiently waiting since February and we are so happy for him. Of course, he wanted to announce his fantastic news himself.

 

I got to have a respite from the shelter at Allen and Michelle’s house! They said I’m a great dog!

While I was at the shelter on Sunday afternoon, volunteers Allen and Michelle brought Opey back from spending the weekend with them. It wasn’t hard to tell that they really like him!

And since Opey is convinced he is a lap dog, he promptly settled down on Caitlin before Allen took him back to his kennel.

Opey is a two-year-old Staffordshire/Bull Terrier mix. He was adopted once and though the family loved him, they were unable to keep him. But they reported that he got along with the cat, the other dog, and he loved the children. Because of his size, he’ll need older kids, but what love and fun he will bring to his family! He has done well in our shelter play groups, but would like to meet any new dog siblings. Opey’s only problem is his eagerness to greet people, a leaf, another dog, anything really that piques his interest. So he’ll be working on his leash manners now that he’s back at the shelter.

Allen had so many good things to say about this gentle giant’s visit.

“We had a great time with Opey this weekend. He was calm in the car (if not a little unsteady) as we left the shelter. He patiently waited in the car with me as Michelle bought him some toys at the store. We bought him a tug toy and a squeaker toy. He efficiently dismantled the squeaker toy. The sturdy rope tug toy was a better fit.

Opey enjoyed exploring our backyard and was up for a good game of tug. Before bed and early in the morning, he would run out and do his business and then come right back inside.

We took Opey to the park for a walk along the trails. Opey is very curious about just about everything and wants you to come with him as he explores. He will need some serious leash training, especially for the times that he would very much like to introduce himself to other dogs. Learning to check in and returning when called will also help him to be successful. With the right treat for proper motivation, we are sure that this smart, strong guy will be a fast learner.

In the house, Opey couldn’t have been more gentle and calm. When we met Opey at the shelter in a turnout, he didn’t show much interest in us (there are a lot of interesting smells out there so I don’t blame him). So we were surprised when he was so affectionate in the house. Opey was content lying on a bed on the floor but he really enjoyed cuddle time on the couch. He also slept peacefully through the night.

We were also impressed that he didn’t become distressed when I left the house for playgroup in the morning. Michelle, who was still in bed, said that he did a quick bit of investigating and then promptly fell asleep on the couch.”

Opey has many fans at the shelter. We’re hoping a family wanting a goofy, happy-go-lucky giant lap dog will find him.

 

 

 

I’m a bit shy, but I have a great history with everybody!

Indy is a five-year-old Beagle mix who is one of the calmest and quietest Beagles on the planet. After we took new dog pictures, we took Indy out for some relaxing “blanket time” in the yard and she loved the attention. Indy is so gentle that she is rated for kids age five and up. She has lived happily with cats (she ignores them), other dogs, and children. It will take some time before she feels comfortable in a new environment, so she’ll need a patient family who will give her space and time to adjust. Last week a lump was removed from Indy’s side and we are waiting for lab results which should arrive soon. Here she was with some of the volunteers who love her, Caitlin, Marianne, and Caroline. Indy is a very special girl.

 

 

 

Looking for a youngster who already knows a ton and is eager to learn more? Meet Hadley!

Hadley is a seven-month-old American Staffordshire Terrier mix. He is a smart, exuberant youngster, as you’ll see below. This boy is excited to learn new things, have adventures, and explore the world with his people. He will need a family without small animals, as he thinks it’s fun to chase them. And while he loves children, he’ll need to go home with older kids who will be conscientious about not letting him run loose where he can get into chasing trouble in the neighborhood. Hadley will never be an off-leash kind of dog. But if you’re looking for an affectionate, funny, devoted new best friend who will love to play and then plop down with you and relax, Hadley may be your perfect fit. Here he was on Sunday during Blanket Time with Caroline. And yes, he is indeed a lap dog.

We decided to take him out to a yard for some play. We knew he loved to play fetch.

 

But we didn’t know he could play fetch by himself!

Hadley is an amazing and all-around terrific young dog. We’re amazed he’s still waiting for his new family.

 

 

 

First off, you should know that I LOVE car rides!

Merry is a nine-year-old Miniature Pinscher who is simply the perfect, uncomplicated little dog. At twenty-one pounds, she knows she should shed a few, but that could be easily done with regular walks around the neighborhood. Merry was chosen to attend the Capitol Subaru event last week with Jolene who couldn’t say enough good things about her. First, she immediately lay down in the car and thoroughly enjoyed the ride to the dealership. She greeted all the dogs there with happy sniffs, and twice let Jolene know that she’d like to briefly go outside to potty. Even with all of the excitement at Subaru, Merry stayed calm and polite. So for someone looking for a quiet, well-mannered companion, Merry is the one! Here she is with Marianne last Wednesday and with Diane on Sunday.

 

 

 

I may only have three legs now, but don’t think that will slow me down!

Meet Roomba, an eight-year-old Chow Chow mix who is getting used to running about on three legs and she is doing great!

 

Roomba is looking for a home where she can be the only pet and she’d love older, sturdy kids. At fifty-nine pounds, she needs to lose some weight so that her remaining three legs won’t be strained. She will also need some follow-up vet care for her three-legged maintenance. Roomba is house-trained and loves being around people. Here she is with Francis and Caitlin. She is a delightful senior girl.

 

 

 

Yep, I still love my giant fluff ball to the moon and back!

I can’t write a post without including the latest video and pictures of Charlie and his fluff ball! As you’ll remember from past posts, Charlie is a huge ten-month-old goofy American Bull Dog mix puppy. After seeing him play with my dog’s giant ball, I had to get Charlie one of his own to take when he gets adopted. Charlie will need a feline-free home and to meet with any dog siblings he will be living with. He’ll also need older, sturdy kids (for obvious reasons!). Here he was on Sunday. We wanted to have some calm Blanket Time with the boy, but he had other ideas.

 

 

Buddy is a twelve-year-old Lab mix, loving hanging out with Caitlin during Blanket Time.

 

 

Paddy is a two-year-old American Staffordshire Terrier mix, here with Daniel.

 

 

Millie is a one-year-old Doberman Pinscher mix, here with Jenna.

 

 

Girlie is back at the shelter after being adopted last week. It turns out she cannot live with feline siblings. Here she is today with Marianne. She’s still the happy, affectionate girl she’s always been. We’re hoping the the right cat-free home will find her soon. Girlie is a seven-year-old American Staffordshire Terrier mix and one of the sweetest dogs we’ve ever known.

 

Sheba

Remember beautiful Sheba? Here she was with Jolene at WHS.

I was so happy to get this update from her family.

“This month has been a rodeo to say the least, but I wouldn’t change a single thing about it! This little girl has blessed my life & has so much potential for her life and what a journey we have ahead together! It’s been a big change for us learning how to care for a young pup again, as her brother, Bear, is 10 years old & we haven’t gone through puppy stage in a long time! She is such a smart girl & is adapting, learning, and changing fast for our lives! She truly is a blessing & perfect for our family! We have a long way to go working on behavior, learning how to deal with her separation anxiety & puppy stages, but this adventure is only going to bring us all closer! I thank the amazing staff & volunteers at WHS for blessing my life with my baby girl! She and I will be around WHS this summer & hopefully in some playgroups along with visiting with her old staff buddies there!”

And she enjoys kicking back and watching a computer screen!

 

 

 

That’s it for this week!

Remember, if you see a dog on my blog whom you are interested in meeting, try to make arrangements to get to the Willamette Humane Society soon. Some dogs are adopted more quickly than you might think.
You can reach me at adoptanoregondog14@yahoo.com